Pathfinders: best blogs, Instagram shots and videos from January 2019

For many of us the first month of the year can often be a sleepy one, slipping by before we’ve even had chance to ponder potential holiday plans. This is not the case for our globetrotting Pathfinders community, however, who have wasted no time embarking on a miscellany of exciting adventures, from hiking hair-raising trails in Spain to uncovering the highlights of Prague.

To inspire you to kick-start your own 2019 travel plans, here’s a selection of our favourite blog posts, Instagram snaps and video content produced by our Pathfinders in January.

Best of the blogs

Why we like it: regardless of how breathtaking a destination may be, it is often the people we meet on the road that make the strongest impression on us. This is seemingly the case for Richard, who, during a trip to the Caramoan Islands, in the Philippines, met 22-year-old Jomar, a tour guide who spends his precious time off repopulating local coral reefs that are under threat from acts like dynamite fishing. An inspiring tale skilfully weaved, the post should encourage us all to do our bit to help protect the fragile natural environment.

Richard is an adventure traveller and photographer who is addicted to getting off the beaten track. Read more of his stories at travel-tramp.com.

Why we like it: a classic travel yarn about overcoming your fears, Victoria’s post shares her – somewhat harrowing – experience of taking on the Caminito del Rey, a heart-stopping hiking trail jutting out from the walls of a narrow gorge in the province of Malaga, Spain. The article makes for fun, fast-paced reading, with imagery that really helps bring, not only the sense of peril, but the beauty of the trail to life. Information about how travellers can undertake the hike themselves rounds off a rewarding read.

Whether it’s a short city break or big adventure trip, Victoria seeks out affordable luxury wherever she goes. Follow her adventures at vicadvisor.com.

Top Instagram shots

Why we like it: with its mountain highway snaking from one side of the image into the distance, and lone vehicle acting as the perfect central focus, Micah’s Iceland shot is a real masterclass in perspective. The yellow hued light source dappling the mountainscape from one corner of the image adds further depth, whilst also drawing the eye across from one corner to another, and off over the horizon. If ever there was an advert for road-tripping through the wild, snow-scattered landscapes of Iceland, this is it.

Micah is a travel photographer who travels the world on the hunt for his next frame. Follow him on Instagram – @wrightontheroad.

Why we like it: what a colour palette! The unusual framing of Joan’s shot helps emphasise the vibrant shades of Jeddah’s old town buildings, owing to the positioning of the light source in the bottom right-hand corner. The slight, upward angled composition draws the eye from bottom to top, through the green and red gradients of the architecture and to the sky’s vivid blue. This dramatic backdrop provides a beautiful contrast to the crisp white of the foreground figure’s attire, which creates depth within the frame as a whole. Simply put, it’s an expert portrayal of a lesser-visited city.

Joan is a travel blogger focusing on finding off-the-beaten-track travel routes and hidden gems in the destinations he visits. Follow him on Instagram @againstthecompass.

Our favourite footage

Why we like it: spring may be on its way for those of us in the northern hemisphere, but we still enjoyed this video of a rather chilly-looking Prague. From marvelling at must-see historical sights to indulging in the local food and drink scene, we loved this fast-paced, visual montage from Macca on the top things to do in the Czech Republic’s capital.

A Lonely Planet Trailblazer, Macca is the face behind An Adventurous World where he aims to inspire his readers to get out and explore more. See more of his work on his YouTube channel.

Find out what else the Lonely Planet Pathfinders are up to by checking out the Pathfinders forum on Thorn Tree.